Please support our dog park proposal
If you didn’t sign our paper petition, please sign our online petition (for local Shaw and Mt Vernon Square residents).

Help us make Bundy Park a more wonderful place for people and our four-legged family members

The Friends of Bundy Park are working with City officials to improve infrastructure, public safety, and add a dog park to the unused portion of Bundy Park — east of the athletic fields — to make it a fantastic amenity for neighbors and the entire community. If you haven’t been to Bundy Park, check it out here.

We want to preserve the Bundy athletic fields for local students and sports teams and make use of the currently vacant lot east of the athletic fields as a dog park. We’d also like to continue to work with neighbors and the City to improve the overall look of the Park — for all who use it.

Check out the current DPR Dog Park Regulations are available online at: DPR.DC.gov

Update from Executive Office of Mayor Fenty:

—-Original Message—–
From: Fimbres, Francisco (EOM)
Sent: Tue, Mar 30, 2010 9:28 am
Subject: Re: parking on the Bundy vacant lot

• Parking in that lot is only for Safe Shores staff at this time.
• We will not be repaving federal land as far as I know.
• Residents will have to continue using space available to them on the street as they have for many years.
• Securing the property is a priority. DRES is working with GSA to make this happen ASAP.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Residents at the 2ndNWCooperative Homes, low-income housing development on O Street NW, have already made begun to make their concerns known to the Administration that they do not have enough parking for the many vehicles owned by residents and their visitors, outside of the substantial private parking lot on the 2nd NW compound.

A few MPD vehicles will need to park on the gated (paved) private Bundy parking lot, but other vehicles are expected to park on surouding streets which should be a preventative crime deterrant.

MPD Assistant Chief Diane Groomes, noted at the Safe Shores grand opening ceremony last week, that “a few MPD officers would be parking their vehicles on the two private parking lots” devoted to Safe Shores tenants on the east and west sides of the facility enclosed by wrought iron gates. Groomes noted that other MPD vehicles will be parked on surrounding streets since “this will actually be of some benefit to the community” since, aside from having vehicles parked in the neighborhood as a deterrent to crime in and of itself, the very reality that officers will be walking between their vehicles and the facility should actually increase MPD patrols in this corridor of Shaw that has a history of violent crime, gun shots, illicit drug use and people not picking up their dog poop.

Safe Shores tenants currently use the Federally owned vacant lot for their own private off street parking.

Meanwhile, Safe Shores tenents who have been using the Federally owned vacant lot for their own private off street parking lot, have expressed complaints that because the City has not repaved the vacant lot, their vehicles have been damaged by the rough surface conditions of the vacant lot. “IF” the vacant lot is going to be used for any parking — and I don’t think it should — it should at least allow for some local residents to use the space temporarily along with Safe Shores tenants, but I do not agree that parking is the most logical use of this land.

Humvie from Maryland parked on the Bundy vacant lot, Tuesday, March 30, 2010. MD Plates: 001M761

Truck from Virginia parked on the Bundy vacant lot, Tuesday, March 30, 2010. VA Plates: YNR 7328

But if Humvies and other vehicles from Maryland and Virginia are going to temporarily us the Federal property for private parking, why should local residents be prohibited from parking their own vehicles there as well?

Of course, since the vacant lot behind the Bundy School is Federally owned land, that has not been transferred to the District for use by City agencies, local residents, or to be developed into the public recreational space that it has been slated to become for decades, there is no reason that Safe Shores tenants should be using the lot to begin with. The fencing around the Federally owned vacant lot should be locked and secured to prevent all access until the Feds can decide themselves on how the land should be redeveloped or transfer the property to the District for local use by its neighbors.

After Mayor Fenty’s visit to the Safe Shores opening last week, some fencing was replaced. Other fencing, as of today, March 30, 2010, remains in need of fixing. Some fencing, below, was repaired by the District with our tax payer dollars even though the property belongs to the Feds. It’s not necessarily a bad thing since that the District officials showed some initiative on this front (to deter crime and abate blight) as long as the District gets its money back from the Feds. This type of vandalism contributes to blight and creates potential escape routes for criminals operating in the community.

This strip of fencing to the east of the Bundy vacant lot was completely replaced the day before Mayor Fenty’s visit.

Meanwhile, even with some replaced fencing, the vacant lot stil presents storm water drainange problems for neighborhing residents and for sidwalks and the street on the north, P Street side, of the the lot — causing erosion and flooding. Aside from looking like an ugly blight to the community, just across the street from the Montgomery ES/KIPP DC schools, the roughly paved lot also creates a “heat island affect” — without any foliage or trees to mitigate the problem — that has no environmental benefit to the area and would appear to exist at odds with current DC Goverment and Federal land use standards.

All of the vacant lot should be transformed into a proper park, not a parking lot, by the Feds or the District whether or not the current use for parking is permitted by DC or Federal statutes.

10:30 am, Thursday, March 25 *Remarks
Safe Shores Ribbon Cutting
Former Bundy School, 429 O Street NW

Mayor Fenty’s schedule suggests that he will be in Shaw Thursday morning for the official opening and ribbon cutting for Safe Shores, which has moved into the former Bundy School building at 429 O Street NW.

As some people may recall, the vacant lot behind the Bundy School was expected to become in part a controversial parking lot for Safe Shores and there was a remote possibility that part of the vacant lot might become a dog park for the community. But since **the federal land transfer did not take place, Safe Shores tenants will be forced to use the parking spaces around the building, some of which was planned for an outdoor children’s play area exclusively serving those receiving care at Safe Shores. Other tenants will be forced to park on the surrounding surface streets and/or take public transportation. According to one source familiar with the details of the failed land transfer:

**“The federal land transfer request was part of a bundle of properties that the DC government wanted the Federal government to transfer to the DC government, to be placed under the control of the Dept. of Real Estate Services (“DRES”). The transfer was included in the FY 2010 budget request — which should have been approved before the commencement of FY 2010 on October 1, 2009. The budget request was not approved — which is why the expected land transfer did not occur in October, 2009. The FY 2010 budget request was expected to be approved on March 2. DRES was informed that the entire bundle of land transfers had been deleted from the budget request; the Federal government decided not to transfer any of the requested land parcels to the DC government. Apparently, the Federal government’s decision does not reflect any specific decision about the Bundy Park site, but rather is just a blanket decision by the Federal government not to transfer any real property of any value to the DC government.

The DC government cannot make any improvements on any land that it does not own. So, it cannot build the parking lot needed for Safes Shores, and it cannot build a dog park, on the site. This site will likely continue to be (1) a vacant, trash-ridden, crime-infested blight on the community, and (2) the occupants of Safe Shores will not have enough parking, and will have to park on the streets. So, this is a problem that should unite the opponents as well as the proponents of a dog park. Because of the Federal government’s decision, no one gets what they want.

DRES may resubmit a land transfer request in the FY 2011 budget request that goes to Congress for passage in September, 2010, or later. The Bundy Park site may or may not be included in that land transfer request. What the community can do now is appeal to Congresswoman Norton’s office to do what she can to cause the Federal government to transfer the Bundy Park site. It is possible that she could get the land transferred separately, without being included in the DC government’s annual budget request.”

In advance of Mayor Fenty’s press conference Thursday, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans’ office, other government officials and staff were involved in an expedited clean up of the Bundy vacant lot and replacement of the destroyed chain link fences that many local residents have been complaining about for YEARS. The old destroyed fence work was torn down Wednesday morning and new fencing was put up in record time the same day. Also, two vehicles and debris left on the site, apparently by the Bundy School/Safe Shores construction crews, were cleared quickly in order to make for a great photo-op for Mr Fenty’s presser.

Apparently, residents cries for years did not resonate with any elected officials before Wednesday, but we have all become all too familiar with how much more importance is given to Mr Fenty’s pressers these days than to the daily needs of local residents. … But by no stretch of the imagination is that meant to imply that local residents, including myself, are not extremely appreciative of the hard work, and attention and services that went into getting the project completed in record time — in one day! Nor should any of this suggest that local residents are not happy to have a fully occupied Bundy School and an active organization serving vital needs of the community as a new neighbor.

Welcome to Shaw, Safe Shores! Happy Photo-Op, Mayor Fenty!

The Bundy vacant lot was, for several decades, slated to be exclusively used for public recreation space according to this post from InShaw. It’s a pity that the still born “September 11 Memorial Grove“ planned for the New Jersey Avenue & O Street Park, across the street from the Bundy School, could not be reassigned to the Federally owned land behind the Bundy School, to make some productive, educational use out of what may otherwise be a blight on the community for some years to come.

*The Mayor often has a very busy schedule, as it will be Thursday with four public appearances including his regular Connecting with the Mayor segment on NBC4, at 6:45am, and Fenty on Fox, at 7:10am.

Citizens can have their concerns addressed by sending their emails to fenty@nbc4.com fenty@NBCWashington.com and fentyonfox@wttg.com or getting up early and tuning in to the segments and calling in.

This week and next, new people parks in the area break ground. See more here.

If and when the time comes, what type of surface would you like to see in a dog park at Bundy Park?

K9Grass: is the only artificial grass, designed specifically for dogs. The grass drains well, is able to withstand wear and tear, is easy to maintain, and the knitted structure of K9Grass helps wick away urine for a cleaner facility. In addition, the grass blades are coated with an antimicrobial product which helps fight odors and creates a safer, cleaner environment for the dogs.

 

Sherelle from Mommie Bears Pet Care at the Shaw Field Dog Park on 11th & R Streets NW likes Shaw Field but she thinks K9Grass, at the 17h & S Street park, is more pet friendly.

More on the pea gravel v K9Grass discussion on the CCCA blog.

“The event was open to the whole community and was very well planned and I hear it was enjoyable to all who attended.”
Kevin L Chapple
ANC 2C02 Commissioner

Kennedy remembered for his visits to a D.C. dog park
August 27, 2009

“Remembrances of Kennedy have been pouring in from all over the world, but one neighbor has her own unique story.

A resident said she didn’t know the late Senator, but they were “neighborly.”

She remembers him as just another member of the community taking advantage of a favorite dog park, but his arrival was a little different than most.

‘He would drive up in a chauffeured car with his dogs and a tennis racket and a ball,” she tells WTOP. “He bat the balls with the tennis racket, and the dogs would chase the ball.’

She says she’ll miss the late Senator’s presence in the neighborhood, and is finding it hard to talk about him in the past tense.”

Come Enjoy the Brazilian jazz of DC Choro Ensemble
6:30-8:30pm, Friday, August 21
Bundy Park, 400 P Street NW
[Rain date: 4-5:30pm, Sunday, August 23]

Bring a picnic basket and the kids.
Refreshments will be available from local merchants.
School supply donations will be accepted for local students (backpacks needed).

See you next week!

The Friends of Bundy Park support anti-crime measures. The community policing benefits of having a dog park in the area that increases foot traffic and eyes and ears on the street, would be a great benefit to local Shaw residents. Key to anti-crime efforts are laws that give law enforcement and criminal justice officials the tools they need to keep our communities safe.

If you support this effort, consider taking the CCCA anti-gang crime bill survey:

Take the CCCA Crime Bill Survey to register your support for the anti-gang amendments to the recent “Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Amendment Act of 2009” so that their provisions might be incoporated into law in the future.

Although the Friends of Bundy Park believe that having pets can enrich the lives of children by showing and teaching them how to have empathy for living creatures and people aside from themselves, we are very interested in supporting safe, clean and well maintained child- and family-friendly play spaces around Shaw and near Bundy Park. We will be vigilant in supporting the progress of the renovation of the New Jersey Avenue & O Street Park which will include a tot lot.

As it’s already been reported all around the Shaw blogosphere here, and here, and with photos here, we’re equally happy to report about the new children’s tot lot that has broken ground this week across P Street from Bundy Park at Scott Montgomery Elementary School. New top of the line children’s play equipment and an edible learning garden with be great amenities for local families and young children in Shaw. The tot lot on 1500 Fifth Street will be open to the public and we expect it will be well maintained by the school while under the vigilant watch of concerned neighbors, several of whom have children and pets of their own.

Residents spoke out about the future of Bundy Park.

DC Compass surveyed local residents and stake holders about the future of the vacant lot at Bundy Park after the July 9 meeting with Director Robin Eve Jasper of the Office of Property Management (now DC Department of Real Estate Services, DRES). Now that Ms Jasper has announced that there will be plenty of room to satisfy the parking needs of Bundy School tenants and provide abundant potential use for a dog park, the Friends of Bundy believe that all sides have been heard during the first part of this lively debate and citizens on all sides can recognize a resolution that everyone can be happy with. We appreciate the leadership or our community representatives and the willingness of local citizens to take part in this process.